National Beef Quality Audit 2016: In-plant survey of carcass characteristics related to quality, quantity, and value of fed steers and heifers 1

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1 National Beef Quality Audit 2016: In-plant survey of carcass characteristics related to quality, quantity, and value of fed steers and heifers 1 C. A. Boykin,* L. C. Eastwood,* M. K. Harris,* D. S. Hale,* C. R. Kerth,* D. B. Griffin,* A. N. Arnold,* J. D. Hasty, K. E. Belk, D. R. Woerner, R. J. Delmore Jr., J. N. Martin, D. L. VanOverbeke, G. G. Mafi, M. M. Pfeiffer, T. E. Lawrence, T. J. McEvers, T. B. Schmidt,# R. J. Maddock, D. D. Johnson, C. C. Carr, J. M. Scheffler, T. D. Pringle,** A. M. Stelzleni,** J. Gottlieb, and J. W. Savell* 2 *Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M AgriLife Research, Texas A&M University, College Station ; Department of Animal Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins ; Department of Animal Science, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater 74078; Beef Carcass Research Center Department of Agricultural Sciences, West Texas A&M University, Canyon 79016; #Department of Animal Science, University of Nebraska at Lincoln, Lincoln ; Department of Animal Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo ; Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville ; **Animal & Dairy Science, University of Georgia, Athens ; Agricultural Marketing Service-USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Stop 0249, Washington, DC ABSTRACT: The National Beef Quality Audit a frequency distribution of QG of 3.8% Prime, 67.3% (NBQA) 2016 used in-plant cooler assessments to Choice, 23.2% Select, and 5.6% lower score. Lower benchmark the current status of the fed steer and heifer beef industry in the United States. In-plant cooler and hard bone, which are USDA overall maturity score included dark cutter (1.9%), blood splash (0.1%), assessments (n = 9,106 carcasses) were conducted at scores of C or older (1.8%). Marbling score distributions were 0.85% Slightly Abundant or greater, 7.63% 30 facilities, where approximately 10% of a single day s production were evaluated for USDA quality Moderate, 23.54% Modest, 39.63% Small, 23.62% grade (QG) and yield grade (YG) factors. Frequencies Slight, and 0.83% Traces or less. Carcasses that were of evaluated traits were 66.5% steer and 33.4% heifer Choice or Select and USDA YG 2 or 3 accounted for sex classes and 82.9% native, 15.9% dairy-type, and 70.7% of the carcasses evaluated. Compared with the 1.2% Bos indicus estimated breed types. Mean USDA previous NBQA, we found a numerical increase in YG factors were 1.42 cm for adjusted fat thickness, mean USDA YG, USDA QG, adjusted fat thickness, 89.5 cm 2 for LM area, kg for HCW, and 1.9% HCW, LM area, and marbling score with an increase for KPH. Mean USDA YG was 3.1, with a frequency distribution of 9.6% YG 1, 36.7% YG 2, 39.2% grading USDA Prime and Choice as well as frequen- in dairy-type carcasses and percentage of carcasses YG 3, 12.0% YG 4, and 2.5% YG 5. Mean USDA cy of USDA YG 4 and 5. The findings from this study QG traits were Small 70 for marbling score, A 64 for will be used by all segments of the industry to understand and improve the quality of fed steer and heifer overall maturity, A 55 for lean maturity, and A 69 for skeletal maturity. Mean USDA QG was Select 96 with beef that is being produced. Key words: beef quality, carcass, market survey, meat grade, quality grade, yield grade 2017 American Society of Animal Science. All rights reserved. J. Anim. Sci : doi: /jas INTRODUCTION 1 This project was funded, in part, by the Beef Checkoff. 2 Corresponding author: j-savell@tamu.edu Received March 8, Accepted April 17, The first National Beef Quality Audit (NBQA) was conducted in 1991 to create a nationwide snapshot of the status of the beef industry. Following the completion of NBQA 1991, the executive summary called for the NBQA to be repeated within the next 5 yr to understand what changes had occurred and what areas still required industry focus (National Cattlemen s Association, 1992). Over the last 25 yr, 5 NBQAs have been conducted (Lorenzen et al., 1993; Boleman et al., 1998; McKenna et al., 2002; Garcia et al., 2008; Gray et al., 2012; McKeith et al., 2012;

2 2994 Boykin et al. Table 1. National Beef Quality Audit 2016: Company and location of surveyed plants Company AB Foods Washington Beef American Foods Group Cargill Meat Solutions Cargill Meat Solutions Cargill Meat Solutions Cargill Meat Solutions Cargill Taylor Beef Creekstone Farms FPL Food Greater Omaha Packing Company Harris Ranch Beef Company Iowa Premium Beef JBS Green Bay JBS Plainwell JBS Souderton JBS Swift Cactus JBS Swift Grand Island JBS Swift Greeley JBS Swift Hyrum JBS Tolleson Kane Beef National Beef National Beef Nebraska Beef Location Toppenish, WA Green Bay, WI Dodge City, KS Fort Morgan, CO Friona, TX Schuyler, NE Wyalusing, PA Arkansas City, KS Augusta, GA Omaha, NE Selma, CA Tama, IA Green Bay, WI Plainwell, MI Souderton, PA Cactus, TX Grand Island, NE Greeley, CO Hyrum, UT Tolleson, AZ Corpus Christi, TX Dodge City, KS Liberal, KS Omaha, NE Amarillo, TX Dakota City, NE Finney County, KS Joslin, IL Lexington, NE Pasco, WA Moore et al., 2012). Successive audits to assess the status of the fed steer and heifer industry allow for ongoing improvements in U.S. beef production, along with continued advancements in producer education. The 2016 NQBA (NBQA 2016) continues the trend of documenting and analyzing the quality and consistency of the U.S. fed steer and heifer beef industry. This aspect of the NBQA 2016 focuses on the assessments of carcass characteristics including USDA quality and yield grades from a nationwide sample of beef. Through this effort, quantifying progress that has been made over time and setting strategies allows the beef industry to identify areas for continued improvement. MATERIALS AND METHODS Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee approval was not required for this study because no live animals were involved. Table 2. National Beef Quality Audit 2016: Means, SD, and minimum and maximum values for USDA carcass grade traits n Mean SD Minimum Maximum USDA yield grade 7, USDA quality grade 1 8, Adjusted fat thickness, cm 7, HCW, kg 8, LM area, cm 2 8, KPH, % 8, Marbling score 2 8, Lean maturity 3 8, Skeletal maturity 3 8, Overall maturity 3 8, = Canner 00 ; 400 = Commercial 00 ; 600 = Select 00 ; 700 = Choice 00 ; 800 = Prime 00 (USDA, 2016) = Practically devoid 00 ; 200 = Traces 00 ; 300 = Slight 00 ; 400 = Small 00 ; 500 = Modest 00 ; 700 = Slightly Abundant 00 ; 900 = Abundant 00 (USDA, 2016) = A 00 ; 200 = B 00 ; 300 = C 00 ; 400 = D 00 ; 500 = E 00 (USDA, 2016). General Overview Before data collection, a correlation meeting was held to emphasize clarity and consistency of data to be collected by collaborating institutions. In-plant cooler assessments were conducted at 30 federally inspected beef processing facilities, which were selected to represent virtually the entire fed steer and heifer beef industry across the United States (Table 1). These assessments occurred from January 2016 to December 2016 and were completed by personnel from 6 collaborating institutions. Each facility was surveyed for the entirety of 1 day s production; data were collected for both shifts in facilities that processed cattle for 2 shifts a day. Carcass Assessment Beef carcasses (n = 9,106) were selected throughout the day s production to represent approximately 10% of each production lot. Trained personnel evaluated each carcass for HCW, LM area (measured by dot grid, video image analysis instrument, or blotting paper), apparent breed type (native, dairy, or Bos indicus), sex class, carcass defects (dark cutter, blood splash, calloused eye, and yellow fat), and any certified or marketing program and whether the animal was 30 mo or older as determined by dentition. The USDA (2016) standards were used for evaluating sex class. Apparent breed type was determined using the procedures defined by Lorenzen et al. (1993): Bos indicus type cattle were those with dorsal thoracic hump (rhomboideus muscle, overlying muscles, and subcutaneous fat) with a height greater than 10.2 cm, dairy-type cattle were identified as those with thin muscling in relation to skeletal size, and all other cattle were classified as native. Carcasses that

3 National Beef Quality Audit Table 3. National Beef Quality Audit (NBQA): Means for USDA carcass grade traits from NBQA 1991, NBQA 1995, NBQA 2000, NBQA 2005, NBQA 2011, and NBQA NBQA 1991 (n = 7,375) NBQA 1995 (n = 11,799) NBQA 2000 (n = 9,396) NBQA 2005 (n = 9,475) NBQA 2011 (n = 9,802) NBQA 2016 (n = 9,106) USDA yield grade USDA quality grade Adjusted fat thickness, cm HCW, kg LM area, cm KPH, % Marbling score Lean maturity Skeletal maturity Overall maturity NBQA 1991 (Lorenzen et al., 1993); NBQA 1995 (Boleman et al., 1998); NBQA 2000 (McKenna et al., 2002); NBQA 2005 (Garcia et al., 2008); NBQA 2011 (Moore et al., 2012) = Canner 00 ; 400 = Commercial 00 ; 600 = Select 00 ; 700 = Choice 00 ; 800 = Prime 00 (USDA, 2016) = Practically devoid 00 ; 300 = Slight 00 ; 400 = Small 00 ; 500 = Modest 00 ; 700 = Slightly Abundant 00 ; 900 = Abundant 00 (USDA, 2016) = A 00 ; 200 = B 00 (USDA, 2016). were denoted as qualifying for certified programs were recorded. Lean maturity, skeletal maturity, preliminary yield grade, percentage of KPH, and marbling score were evaluated by USDA, Agricultural Marketing Service, Quality Assessment Division personnel (USDA, 2016). For beef processors that removed KPH before grading, the estimated KPH value used by the facility was recorded (some establishments calculated KPH based on before and after carcass weights and some used a standard average KPH measurement). Statistical Analyses All analyses were performed using JMP software (version 10; SAS Inst. Inc., Cary, NC, ) and Microsoft Excel for Mac 2016 (Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA). The Fit Y by X function was used for ANOVA, and least squares means comparisons were conducted using Student s t test. Correlations were determined using the multivariate function. Frequency distributions, means, SD, and minimum and maximum values were determined using the distribution function. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Carcass Assessment The mean USDA yield grade (YG) for this study was 3.1 (Table 2). Table 3 reports means for USDA YG from past NBQA; 3.2 for NBQA 1991 (Lorenzen et al., 1993), 2.8 for NBQA 1995 (Boleman et al., 1998), 3.0 for NBQA 2000 (McKenna et al., 2002), 2.9 for NBQA 2005 (Garcia et al., 2008), and 2.9 for NBQA 2011 (Moore et al., 2012). Figure 1 shows the frequency distribution of carcasses by one-half YG increments. The frequencies were 9.6% YG 1, 36.7% YG 2, 39.2% YG 3, 12.0% YG 4, and 2.5% YG 5. Moore et al. (2012) reported YG frequencies from NBQA 2011 as 12.4% YG 1, 41.0% YG 2, 36.3% YG 3, 8.6% YG 4, and 1.6% YG 5. The mean USDA YG factors were 1.4 cm for adjusted fat thickness (AFT), kg for HCW, 89.5 cm 2 for LM area, and 1.9% for KPH (Table 2). When compared with NBQA 2011, mean AFT, HCW, and LM area all numerically increased. The most notable difference in this study was a 16.3-kg increase in mean HCW from NBQA 2011 (Moore et al., 2012). There are many factors that have affected cattle weights during the period between the last 2 audits, including but not limited to heavier cattle entering the feedlots, extended periods of cattle on feed, and a larger proportion of steers compared with heifers in the slaughter mix (Mathews and Haley, 2015). Beginning with NBQA 1995, there has been a continued increase in HCW. Bunting (2015) discussed potential reasons for carcasses continuing to get heavier, with processing facilities labor costs and cattle availability at the forefront. Heavier carcasses allowed facilities to process the same number of cattle with the same amount of labor and resulted in a greater amount of salable beef. For this reason, lighter-than-average carcasses are typically more severely discounted than those carcasses slightly above average. Additionally, a reduction in the fed cattle supply may limit the packers ability to discount heavyweight carcasses. As HCW continues to increase, effect on steak thickness and consumer preferences becomes more crucial. Dykstra (2016) evaluated the relationship among USDA YG, HCW, and steak size in which the optimal steak was 2.54 cm thick and weighed approximately g. To achieve these steak parameters from

4 2996 Boykin et al. Figure 1. National Beef Quality Audit 2016: Frequency distribution of carcasses by one-half yield grade increments. Figure 2. National Beef Quality Audit 2016: Frequency distribution by carcass weight groups.

5 National Beef Quality Audit a HCW of approximately kg, the carcass must be a YG 4. A YG 2 carcass of the same weight would have a larger LM area and would not result in the desired steak thickness. Moreover, consumers generally prefer thicker steaks with a smaller surface area (Maples et al., 2016). The correlation constant between HCW and LM area (r = 0.40) indicates that although there is a positive relationship between the 2 traits, a larger HCW does not always result in a larger LM area. Lawrence et al. (2008) reported that LM area is not a linear function of HCW; rather, it is quadratic. Because of this relationship, Lawrence et al. (2008) found that the USDA calculated YG equation benefits those carcasses lighter than 363 kg for having above-average muscling but penalizes those carcasses heavier than 363 kg for having below-average muscling. Lambert (1991) identified outlier cattle, such as those with a HCW greater than kg, as a lost opportunity and reported that approximately 1.5% of carcasses surveyed surpassed this threshold. The current study observed that almost half (44.1%) of carcasses surveyed exceeded kg (Fig. 2). McKenna et al. (2002) addressed concerns regarding discounts for carcasses above 431 kg. The frequency of carcasses exceeding 431 kg were 4.6% in the NBQA 2000 (McKenna et al., 2002), 5.1% in the NBQA 2005 (Garcia et al., 2008), 11.1% in the NBQA 2011 (Moore et al., 2012), and 25.7% in the NBQA However, Moore et al. (2012) reported in NBQA 2011 that the current heavy-weight carcass price discount was for those that exceeded 454 kg. Moore et al. (2012) reported 3.7% of carcasses greater than 454 kg, and the current study shows that 12.4% were above this threshold. In response to the continued increase in HCW, the threshold for heavy-weight discounts is now at kg (USDA Market News Service, 2017). Five percent of the carcasses surveyed in NBQA 2016 exceeded this threshold. Kay (2012) stated that increased carcass size was a method to combat reduced cattle numbers. Although total number of cattle slaughtered is the lowest in decades, total beef production has increased (Maples et al., 2016). Additionally, increased carcass size and decreased carcass numbers have the potential to increase sustainability by producing a greater amount of beef with the same amount of resources (Bunting, 2015). Finally, Tatum et al. (2006), in a study of the factors that affect value in beef grids, found that the most important driver of carcass value was carcass weight, accounting for 70 to 90% of the variation in total revenue when the Choice/Select spread was less than US$10/45.4 kg carcass weight. Without question, the increasing carcass weights observed over the lifetime of these audits are often driven by marketplace conditions. As USDA YG increased from YG 1 to YG 5, mean AFT and HCW increased (P < 0.05) and mean LM area decreased (P < 0.05; Table 4). This is to be expected, as Table 4. National Beef Quality Audit 2016: Least squares means for carcass traits (SEM) within USDA yield grades USDA yield grade USDA quality grade 1 Adjusted fat thickness, cm HCW, kg LM area, cm 2 KPH, % Marbling score 2 Lean maturity 3 Skeletal maturity 3 Overall maturity 3 1 (n = 710) 1.6 e 675 d (2.3) 0.7 e e (1.70) a (0.42) 1.6 d 401 d (3.2) 156 a 165 c 161 b (0.7) 2 (n = 2,705) 2.6 d 702 c 1.1 d d (0.82) 91.7 b (0.20) 1.9 c 452 c 154 b 165 c 160 b USDA yield grade 3 (n = 2,894) 3.4 c 716 b 1.5 c c (0.77) 87.1 c (0.18) 2.1 b 488 b 152 c 168 b 161 b 4 (n = 884) 4.4 b 725 a (2.6) 2.1 b b (1.51) 83.0 d (0.32) 2.4 a 517 a (3.7) 149 d 169 b (1.1) 161 b 5 (n = 186) 6.1 a (0.09) 724 ab (5.1) 3.7 a a (3.87) 81.1 e (0.77) 2.4 a 521 a (8.3) 153 bc (1.7) 175 a (2.6) 165 a a e Means within a row with different superscripts differ (P < 0.05) = Canner 00 ; 400 = Commercial 00 ; 600 = Select 00 ; 700 = Choice 00 ; 800 = Prime 00 (USDA, 2016) = Practically devoid 00 ; 300 = Slight 00 ; 400 = Small 00 ; 500 = Modest 00 ; 700 = Slightly Abundant 00 ; 900 = Abundant 00 (USDA, 2016) = A 00 ; 200 = B 00 (USDA, 2016). AFT, HCW, and LM area are all factors in the USDA YG equation. Between USDA YG 4 and 5, no difference (P > 0.05) was detected between mean USDA quality grade (QG), marbling score, and KPH percentage. The least squares means of carcass traits by HCW group are reported in Table 5. As HCW increases, YG and AFT increase. Mean USDA QG increased as carcass weight increased up to kg; thereafter, mean USDA QG did not improve (P < 0.05). Additionally, mean LM area increased as carcass weight increased (P < 0.05), with no differences seen in mean LM area at or above 454 kg (P > 0.05). Table 6 reports the least squares means of carcass traits by AFT groups. As AFT increases, USDA YG increases (P < 0.05). The correlation between AFT and marbling score (r = 0.24) indicates that although they are related, having a greater amount of external fat does not always result in a greater amount of marbling. The AFT and marbling correlation from NBQA 2011 was 0.34 (Moore et al., 2012). The decrease in the correlation coefficient could be a result of external fat increasing more rapidly than marbling. The mean USDA QG in this study was Select 96. Previous NBQA means for USDA QG were Select 86 for NBQA 1991 (Lorenzen et al., 1993), Select 79

6 2998 Boykin et al. Table 5. National Beef Quality Audit 2016: Least squares means for carcass traits (SEM) within carcass weight groups Carcass weight group, kg <272.6 (n = 45) to (n = 379) to (n = 1,715) to (n = 2,864) to (n = 1,852) to 500 (n = 452) >500 (n = 72) USDA yield grade 2.2 g (0.17) 2.5 f 2.8 e 3.1 d 3.4 c 3.7 b 4.3 a USDA quality grade d (7.5) 688 c (3.4) 703 b (1.7) 710 a (1.1) 708 a (1.7) 706 ab (4.1) 711 ab (9.7) Adjusted fat thickness, cm 0.9 f (0.13) 1.1 f 1.3 e 1.4 d 1.5 c 1.7 b 1.9 a HCW, kg g (2.83) f (0.59) e (0.29) d (0.23) c (0.28) b (0.49) a (2.05) LM area, cm f (1.48) 81.1 e (0.44) 85.2 d (0.23) 89.2 c (0.18) 93.0 b (0.23) 97.0 a (0.45) 98.6 a (1.23) KPH, % 1.8 bc (0.14) 1.9 c (0.05) 1.9 bc 2.0 b 2.1 a 2.2 a 2.1 ab Marbling score f (12.3) 434 e (4.7) 462 d (2.4) 473 c (1.8) 478 bc (2.3) 486 b (4.4) 519 a (11.9) Lean maturity abc (2.1) 156 a (1.0) 154 b 153 c 152 d 151 d 153 bcd (1.8) Skeletal maturity e (2.6) 165 de (1.4) 167 de 167 d 169 c (0.7) 174 b (1.6) 188 a (5.5) Overall maturity c (2.1) 161 c (1.0) 161 c 161 c 162 c 165 b 174 a (3.9) a g Means within a row with different superscripts differ (P < 0.05) = Canner 00 ; 400 = Commercial 00 ; 600 = Select 00 ; 700 = Choice 00 ; 800 = Prime 00 (USDA, 2016) = Practically devoid 00 ; 300 = Slight 00 ; 400 = Small 00 ; 500 = Modest 00 ; 700 = Slightly Abundant 00 ; 900 = Abundant 00 (USDA, 2016) = A 00 ; 200 = B 00 (USDA, 2016). for NBQA 1995 (Boleman et al., 1998), Select 85 for NBQA 2000 (McKenna et al., 2002), Select 90 for NBQA 2005 (Garcia et al., 2008), and Select 93 for NBQA 2011 (Moore et al., 2012). The frequency of USDA QG was 3.8% Prime, 67.3% Choice, 23.2% Select, and 5.6% other. The other category included Standard, Commercial, Utility, dark cutter, blood splash, hard bone, and calloused eye. The NBQA 2011 frequency of USDA QG was 2.1% Prime, 58.9% Choice, 32.6% Select, 5.1% Standard, 0.9% Commercial, and 0.3% Utility (Moore et al., 2012). These data show a dramatic increase in the frequency of Prime (+1.7% points) and Choice (+8.4% points) carcasses and a decrease in the frequency of Select ( 9.4% points) carcasses since This study observed the highest frequency of Choice carcasses (67.3%) since the 1974 Market Consist (Abraham, 1977) reported 74% Choice. The notable increase in HCW also significantly influences the increased marbling scores and QG outcomes. Additionally, the increase in dairy-type carcasses 16.3 versus 9.9% reported by Moore et al. (2012) for the last audit likely plays a role in the increased mean USDA QG and marbling score. Of the carcasses that graded Prime, 32.0% were classified as dairy type. Means for factors contributing to QG in the current audit include Small 70 for marbling score, A 55 for lean maturity, A 69 for skeletal maturity, and A 64 for overall maturity. Mean marbling score was increased compared with previous audits, continuing the trend that began with NBQA Marbling score distributions were as follows: Slightly Abundant or greater (0.85%), Moderate (7.63%), Modest (23.54%), Small (39.63%), Slight (23.62%), and Traces or less (0.83%). For both Prime and Choice, the greatest proportion of carcasses were within the lowest third of the grade (83.1% low Prime and 55.5% low Choice; Table 7). However, the majority of carcasses qualifying for Select were in the top half of the grade (61.2% high Select), which would be expected, as Small/Slight+ are the peak of the marbling normal distribution curve. As USDA QG increased from Select to Prime, USDA YG, AFT, and HCW increased (P < 0.05; Table 8). In contrast, LM area decreased as USDA QG increased from Select to Prime (P < 0.05). Throughout the NBQA, there has been a consistent trend of carcasses with higher USDA QG possessing numerically heavier HCW and smaller LM areas. The largest numerical percentage of carcasses (29.9%) was Choice YG 3 (Table 9). The frequency of carcasses that were Choice or Select and USDA YG 2 or 3 was 70.7%, which is comparable to NBQA 2011 (72.0%; Moore et al., 2012). Nonconforming carcasses (those grading Standard or below and/or USDA YG 4 and 5) in the current audit accounted for 18.2% of all carcasses, which was similar to that reported by Garcia et al. (2008), at 18.3% of all carcasses. However, Moore et al. (2012) found 15.6% of the carcasses to be

7 National Beef Quality Audit Table 6. National Beef Quality Audit 2016: Least squares means for carcass traits (SEM) within fat thickness groups Fat thickness, cm >3.05 (n = 135) 2.79 to 3.05 (n = 58) 2.54 to 2.77 (n = 246) 2.29 to 2.52 (n = 253) 2.03 to 2.26 (n = 517) 1.78 to 2.01 (n = 670) 1.52 to 1.75 (n = 1,542) 1.27 to 1.50 (n = 1,184) 1.02 to 1.25 (n = 1,297) 0.76 to 0.99 (n = 972) 0.51 to 0.74 (n = 832) 6.6 a (0.14) 4.8 b 4.6 c 4.2 d 4.0 e 3.7 f 3.4 g 3.0 h 2.8 i 2.5 j 2.3 k 710 bcd (10.1) 4.4 a bc (4.19) 86.1 de (1.07) 1.6 g (0.11) 746 a (5.6) 2.9 b a (5.92) 90.5 abc (1.08) 1.7 bcdefg (0.18) 524 ab (10.5) 543 a (16.2) 155 bc (2.1) 147 e (1.3) 180 a (3.6) 169 a (2.3) 164 def (2.5) 156 ef (1.6) 734 a (4.8) 2.6 c b (3.04) 88.2 cd (0.64) 2.0 abc 538 a (6.6) 150 de (1.0) 173 bc (2.1) 163 bc 719 b (5.6) 2.4 d (0.003) bcd (2.89) 90.0 abc (0.69) 1.8 fg 511 bc (6.7) 150 e 172 bcd (2.0) 162 bcd 721 b (3.2) 2.1 e (0.004) cd (2.05) 89.3 bc (0.45) 2.1 a (0.05) 506 bc (4.5) 150 e 172 b 163 b (1.1) 718 b (2.7) 1.9 f (0.002) de (1.68) 90.3 ab (0.41) 1.8 ef 498 c (3.9) 151 de 171 bcd (1.4) 162 b (1.0) 716 b (1.7) 1.6 g (0.002) e (1.15) 90.4 b (0.27) 1.9 cde 487 d (2.6) 151 de 169 cd 161 bcde 709 c (1.8) 1.4 h (0.002) f (1.28) 91.3 a (0.30) 2.0 bc 468 e (2.8) 152 cd 166 e 160 def 704 cd 1.11 i (0.003) g (1.27) 90.4 b (0.31) 2.0 ab 458 f (2.8) 154 b 165 e (0.7) 160 cde 699 d (2.0) 0.9 j (0.002) h (1.37) 89.5 bc (0.39) 1.8 def 446 g (3.3) 155 b 164 ef 160 cdef 691 e 0.6 k (0.003) i (1.50) 87.1 de (0.43) 2.0 abc 429 h (3.4) 154 b 162 f 158 f <0.51 (n = 291) USDA yield grade 1.9 l (0.05) USDA quality grade f (3.8) Adjusted fat thickness, cm 0.2 l HCW, kg a (2.90) LM area, cm e (0.77) KPH, % 2.0 abc (0.07) Marbling score i (6.1) Lean maturity a Skeletal maturity ef Overall maturity b a l Means within a row with different superscripts differ (P < 0.05) = Canner 00 ; 400 = Commercial 00 ; 600 = Select 00 ; 700 = Choice 00 ; 800 = Prime 00 (USDA, 2016) = Practically devoid 00 ; 300 = Slight 00 ; 400 = Small 00 ; 500 = Modest 00 ; 700 = Slightly Abundant 00 ; 900 = Abundant 00 (USDA, 2016) = A 00 ; 200 = B 00 (USDA, 2016). nonconforming, which is numerically lower than was found in this audit. The increased proportion of nonconforming carcasses is consistent with the increased frequency of USDA YG 4 and 5 observed in NBQA 2016, which was noted earlier in the discussion of YG trends. The overall presence of dark cutting was 1.9%, which is numerically lower than NBQA 2011 (3.2%; Moore et al., 2012) and was the lowest surveyed in NBQA history. Blood splash (0.1%) also numerically decreased from NBQA 2011 (0.3%; Moore et al., 2012). Additionally, the frequency of hard bone, or carcasses with an overall USDA maturity score of C or greater, was 1.8%. The frequencies of estimated breed type were 82.9% native, 15.9% dairy-type, and 1.2% B. indicus. When compared to NBQA-2011, there was a 6.0% point increase in dairy-type cattle and a 5.4% point decrease in native cattle. This increase in dairytype cattle is consistent with the upward trend from NBQA 2000 (6.9%; McKenna et al., 2002), NBQA 2005 (8.3%; Garcia et al., 2008), and NBQA 2011 (9.9%; Moore et al., 2012). Market conditions such as the U.S. drought of 2012, the reduced beef cow herd, and record beef prices created more competitive markets for Holstein steers (Felix, 2016), and an increase in calf-fed dairy beef programs offered by some packers likely had an influence on the greater proportion of dairy-type cattle (Bunting, 2015). Native carcasses possessed the greatest USDA YG (3.1), AFT (1.5 cm), HCW (390.3 kg), and KPH (2.0%; P < 0.05; Table 10). Dairytype carcasses had the greatest QG (Choice 17 ) and marbling score (Small 86 ) and the least AFT (0.9 cm) and smallest LM area (80.6 cm 2 ; P < 0.05). Additionally, of the dairy carcasses surveyed,

8 3000 Boykin et al. Table 7. National Beef Quality Audit 2016: Occurrence (%) 1 of marbling scores within USDA quality grades 2 Marbling score Overall 3 Prime Choice Select Other 4 Abundant Moderately Abundant Slightly Abundant Moderate Modest Small Slight Slight Traces Rounding error prevents all categories from adding to 100.0%. 2 USDA quality grade was affected by maturity and dark cutting. 3 Overall category represents USDA quality grades of Prime, Choice, Select, Standard, Commercial, Utility, and Cutter. 4 Other includes No roll, Standard, Commercial, Utility, dark cutter, blood splash, hard bone, and calloused ribeye. Table 9. National Beef Quality Audit 2016: Percentage distribution 1 of carcasses stratified by USDA quality and yield grades USDA USDA quality grade, % yield grade Prime Choice Select Other Carcasses with missing values for USDA quality or yield grades are not included. 2 Other includes Standard, Commercial, Utility, dark cutter, blood splash, hard bone, and calloused ribeye. Table 8. National Beef Quality Audit 2016: Least squares means for carcass traits (SEM) within USDA quality grades Table 10. National Beef Quality Audit 2016: Least squares means for carcass traits (SEM) within estimated breed types USDA yield grade USDA quality grade 2 Adjusted fat thickness, cm HCW, kg LM area, cm 2 KPH, % Marbling score 3 Lean maturity 4 Skeletal maturity 4 Overall maturity 4 Prime (n = 288) 3.6 a (0.05) 819 a 1.6 a a (2.47) 84.5 c (0.63) 1.8 b (0.07) 756 a (2.8) 149 c 163 bc (1.3) 157 b USDA quality grade Choice (n = 4,979) 3.3 b 732 b 1.5 b b (0.60) 88.9 b (0.14) 2.0 b 497 b 151 c (0.2) 166 b 159 b (0.2) Select (n = 1,710) 2.7 d 656 c 1.2 c c (1.07) 91.5 a (0.27) 1.9 b 356 d 155 b 161 c 158 b Other 1 (n = 262) 3.1 c (0.07) 357 d (10.8) 1.4 b (0.05) b (2.91) 91.2 a (0.63) 2.1 a (0.06) 429 c (6.1) 171 a (2.1) 230 a (3.6) 211 a (2.7) USDA yield grade USDA quality grade 1 Adjusted fat thickness, cm HCW, kg LM area, cm 2 KPH, % Marbling score 2 Lean maturity 3 Skeletal maturity 3 Overall maturity 3 Native (n = 7,016) 3.1 a 705 b 1.5 a a (0.57) 90.9 a (0.13) 2.0 a 469 b 153 b (0.2) 169 a 162 a Estimated breed type Dairy (n = 1,342) 3.0 b 717 a (1.7) 0.9 c b (1.06) 80.5 b (0.26) 1.9 b 486 a (3.2) 156 b 165 b 161 a Bos indicus (n = 106) 2.6 c (0.18) 667 c (4.7) 1.2 b ab (4.20) 91.6 a (1.06) 1.0 c 382 c (7.0) 149 a (1.1) 159 b 155 b (1.3) a d Means within a row with different superscripts differ (P < 0.05). 1 Other includes Standard, Commercial, Utility, dark cutter, blood splash, hard bone, and calloused ribeye = Canner 00 ; 300 = Utility 00 ; 400 = Commercial 00 ; 600 = Select 00 ; 700 = Choice 00 ; 800 = Prime 00 (USDA, 2016) = Practically devoid 00 ; 300 = Slight 00 ; 400 = Small 00 ; 500 = Modest 00 ; 700 = Slightly Abundant 00 ; 900 = Abundant 00 (USDA, 2016) = A 00 ; 200 = B 00 ; 300 = C 00 (USDA, 2016). a c Means within a row with different superscripts differ (P < 0.05) = Canner 00 ; 400 = Commercial 00 ; 600 = Select 00 ; 700 = Choice 00 ; 800 = Prime 00 (USDA, 2016) = Practically devoid 00 ; 300 = Slight 00 ; 400 = Small 00 ; 500 = Modest 00 ; 700 = Slightly Abundant 00 ; 900 = Abundant 00 (USDA, 2016) = A 00 ; 200 = B 00 (USDA, 2016).

9 National Beef Quality Audit Table 11. National Beef Quality Audit 2016: Least squares means for carcass traits (SEM) within sex class USDA yield grade USDA quality grade 1 Adjusted fat thickness, cm HCW, kg LM area, cm 2 KPH, % Marbling score 2 Lean maturity 3 Skeletal maturity 3 Overall maturity 3 Sex class Steer (n = 4,850) 3.1 a 708 a 1.3 b a (0.61) 88.9 b (0.15) 2.0 a 467 b (1.4) 152 b (0.2) 164 b 159 b Heifer (n = 2,467) 3.1 a 704 b 1.6 a b (0.83) 90.6 a (0.20) 1.9 b 477 a 154 a 176 a 167 a a,b Means within a row with different superscripts differ (P < 0.05) = Canner 00 ; 400 = Commercial 00 ; 600 = Select 00 ; 700 = Choice 00 ; 800 = Prime 00 (USDA, 2016) = Practically devoid 00 ; 300 = Slight 00 ; 400 = Small 00 ; 500 = Modest 00 ; 700 = Slightly Abundant 00 ; 900 = Abundant 00 (USDA, 2016) = A 00 ; 200 = B 00 (USDA, 2016). Table 12. National Beef Quality Audit 2016: Least squares means for carcass traits (SEM) of carcasses by dental age classification USDA yield grade USDA quality grade 1 Adjusted fat thickness, cm HCW, kg LM area, cm 2 KPH, % Marbling score 2 Lean maturity 3 Skeletal maturity 3 Overall maturity 3 <30 mo (n = 7,293) 3.1 a 697 a 1.4 a a (0.51) 89.5 a 2.0 a 470 b (1.1) 153 a (0.1) 168 b 161 b (0.2) 30 mo (n = 86) 3.1 a (0.10) 612 b (23.7) 1.1 b (0.06) a (6.60) 86.1 b (1.27) 2.0 a (0.13) 518 a (13.3) 230 a (8.0) 269 a (8.2) 247 a (7.3) a,b Means within a row with different superscripts differ (P < 0.05) = Canner 00 ; 400 = Commercial 00 ; 600 = Select 00 ; 700 = Choice 00 ; 800 = Prime 00 (USDA, 2016) = Practically devoid 00 ; 300 = Slight 00 ; 400 = Small 00 ; 500 = Modest 00 ; 700 = Slightly Abundant 00 ; 900 = Abundant 00 (USDA, 2016) = A 00 ; 200 = B 00 ; 300 = C 00 (USDA, 2016). 8.0% graded USDA Prime (data not shown in tabular form). This is consistent with the findings from Albrecht et al. (2006) in which Holstein carcasses possessed a greater amount and finer flecks of marbling. Of carcasses surveyed, steers and heifers accounted for 66.5 and 33.4%, respectively. The numerical increase in frequency of steers in the current study from NBQA 2011 (63.7%; Moore et al., 2012) is consistent with the increase in dairy cattle. Steers possessed greater mean USDA QG, HCW, and KPH (P < 0.05; Table 11). Heifers had increased mean AFT, LM area, marbling score, lean maturity, skeletal maturity, and overall maturity (P < 0.05). In 2016, the USDA requested comments on amending the United States Standards for grades of carcass beef to allow cattle that were classified as under 30 mo by dentition or age records to qualify for A maturity. Carcasses that were classified as under 30 mo by dentition had increased USDA QG and LM area coupled with decreased AFT, HCW, marbling score, skeletal, and overall maturity compared with those 30 mo or older (P < 0.05; Table 12). There was no difference between the mean lean maturity between the dental age classes (P > 0.05). Research has not reported differences in palatability between ossification groups within dental age classes (Lawrence et al., 2001; Acheson et al., 2014; Semler et al., 2016). Dentition was reported as a better predictor of actual age than USDA maturity score (Lawrence et al., 2001; Raines et al., 2008). Conclusions The fed steer and heifer beef industry is constantly evolving, and the NBQA allows a current benchmark to be established and progress to be evaluated. Through these assessments of beef carcasses across the United States and compared with the last audit, we found a numerical increase in mean USDA YG, USDA QG, AFT, HCW, LM area, and marbling score. Furthermore, an increase in dairy-type carcasses and percentage of carcasses grading USDA Prime and Choice as well as frequency of USDA YG 4 and 5 was observed. These data indicate that although the industry is improving the quality of beef being produced, there is also an increase in size and fatness. LITERATURE CITED Abraham, H. C Grades of fed beef carcasses: November 1973-October Marketing Res. Rep. No USDA, Agricultural Marketing Service, Washington, DC.

10 3002 Boykin et al. Acheson, R. J., D. R. Woerner, and J. D. Tatum Effects of USDA carcass maturity on sensory attributes of beef produced by grainfinished steers and heifers classified as less than 30 months old using dentition. J. Anim. Sci. 92: doi: / jas Albrecht, E., F. Teuscher, K. Ender, and J. Wegner Growthand breed-related changes of marbling characteristics in cattle. J. Anim. Sci. 84: doi: / x Boleman, S. L., S. J. Boleman, W. W. Morgan, D. S. Hale, D. B. Griffin, J. W. Savell, R. P. Ames, M. T. Smith, J. D. Tatum, T. G. Field, G. C. Smith, B. A. Gardner, J. B. Morgan, S. L. Northcutt, H. G. Dolezal, D. R. Gill, and F. K. Ray National Beef Quality Audit 1995: Survey of producer-related defects and carcass quality and quantity attributes. J. Anim. Sci. 76: doi: / x Bunting, S Heavier carcasses are the trend; Is it sustainable? Progressive Cattleman, Jerome, ID. (Accessed 10 April 2017.) Dykstra, P Market update. 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